More than three million people see a physician each year for damage to the rotator cuff. While many of these cases can be treated with physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications or steroid injections, when the rotator cuff is torn the only healing treatment is surgery.
Rotator cuff surgery is complicated due to the complex network of muscles and tendons that hold the shoulder and tendons in place. This immense network of muscles and tendons act as a support system for the rotating movement of the arm. After surgery, the rotator cuff is much more likely to be re-injured due to over Stress on the repaired muscles and tendons, as well as, over use.
As our more active population ages and both men and women push the physical limits of the body, the surgeries performed each year for torn rotator cuffs is expected to grow exponentially.
Scientists and researchers are looking for better ways to repair the torn rotator cuff during surgery. The techniques and methods included in the studies include:
Increasing the number of sutures used during surgery.
Repairing the tendons with human cadaver tissue.
Repairing the torn tissues with pig intestinal grafts.
Placing silk based implants into the shoulder for better healing and stronger repaired tissues.
One of the main factors associated with re-injured and re-torn rotator cuffs is directly linked to the post surgery rehabilitation needed to strengthen the repaired rotator cuff. Many patients are either uneducated about the need for long-term physical therapy or simply choose not to heed the doctors recommendations regarding physical therapy. With proper post surgery rehabilitation, the chances of re-injuring the rotator cuff are lessened.
Doctors are also performing more and more surgeries laparoscopically to cut down on the recovery time needed to heal after surgery. Laparoscopy entails making several small cuts into the skin and repairing the internal injury through these holes. The chance of Infection and recovery time are both lessened dramatically. Surgeries performed with a laparoscope do not remove the need for physical therapy and shoulder rehabilitation during recovery.
